THERMAL PROFILING OF A SWITCHED RELUCTANCE MACHINE WITH 6/4 POLE TOPOLOGY

Chiweta Abunike; Joy Udolisa Matthew; Chukwuemeka Awah; Ogbonnaya Inya Okoro; Ifeanyichi Oruh; Aniagboso Onah

doi:10.4314/njt.v43i3.15

Authors

C. E. Abunike Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
J. U. Jeff-Matthew Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
C. C. Awah Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
O. I. Okoro Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
B. I. Oruh Department of Mathematics, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
A. J. Onah Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4314/njt.v43i3.15

Keywords:

cooling jacket, finite elemnet analysis, Switched reluctance motor, Temperature constraints, Thermal analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a thermal analysis of a switched reluctance machine (SRM) with a 6/4 pole topology. Employing a two-dimensional thermal finite element model in Maxwell 2D integrated into a lumped parameter thermal network in MotorCAD, the research aims to realize critical temperature points within the SRM, focusing on the windings and laminations to identify potential hotspots. To ensure continuous operation without compromising structural integrity, temperature constraints of 150 °C for the windings and 100 °C for the laminations were enforced. The investigation extends to the cooling domain by utilizing a housing cooling jacket and ethylene glycol and water ratio (EGW) of 60/40 as the cooling fluid. An exploration of various volume flow rates revealed that 15 l/min was the optimal choice, resulting in the lowest temperatures observed in both the winding and lamination regions. This study emphasizes the shift of hotspot temperatures from the stator winding in the low-speed region to the rotor in the high-speed range, impacting the overall continuous operating time. This holistic examination significantly contributes to a broader understanding of electric machine thermal management and offers invaluable insights for practical applications in electric vehicles, manufacturing processes, and various industrial settings.

References

[1] Ghahfarokhi, P. S., Podgornovs, A., Kallaste, A., Cardoso, A. J. M., Belahcen, A., Vaimann, T., Tiismus, H. and Asad, B. “Opportunities and challenges of utilizing additive manufactur-ing approaches in thermal management of electrical machines”, IEEE Access, 9, pp. 36368-36381, 2021.

[2] Bramerdorfer, G., Lei, G., Cavagnino, A., Zhang, Y., Sykulski, J. and Lowther, D. A. “More robust and reliable optimized energy conversion facilitated through electric machines, power electronics and drives, and their control: State-of-the-art and trends”, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, vol. 35, no. 4, pp.1997-2012, 2020.

[3] Yaabari, N., Okoro, O. I., and Akpama, E. J. ‘‘Matlab-based simulations of a three-phase induction motor for dynamic studies’’, Nigerian Journal of Technology, vol .41, no. 6, pp. 1000-1007, 2022.

[4] Gundabattini, E., Mystkowski, A., Idzkowski, A. and Solomon, D. G. “Thermal mapping of a high-speed electric motor used for traction applications and analysis of various cooling methods—A review”, Energies, vol. 14, no. 5, p.1472, 2021.

[5] Chidambaram, K., Ashok, B., Vignesh, R., Deepak, C., Ramesh, R., Narendhra, T. M., Muhammad Usman, K. and Kavitha, C. “Critical analysis on the implementation barriers and consumer perception toward future electric mobility”, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part D: Journal of Automobile Engineering, vol. 237, no. 4, pp. 622-654, 2023.

[6] Sayed, E., Abdalmagid, M., Pietrini, G., Sa’adeh, N.M., Callegaro, A.D., Goldstein, C. and Emadi, A. “Review of electric machines in more-/hybrid-/turbo-electric aircraft”, IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrifica-tion, vol 7, no. 4, pp. 2976-3005, 2021.

[7] Mastoi, M. S., Zhuang, S., Munir, H. M., Haris, M., Hassan, M., Alqarni, M. and Alamri, B. “A study of charging-dispatch strategies and vehicle-to-grid technologies for electric vehicles in distribution networks”, Energy Reports, vol. 9, pp.1777-1806, 2023.

[8] Boglietti, A., Cavagnino, A., Staton, D., Shanel, M., Mueller, M. and Mejuto, C. “Evolution and modern approaches for thermal analysis of electrical machines”, IEEE Transactions on industrial electronics, vol. 56, no. 3, pp. 871-882, 2009.

[9] Bostanci, E., Moallem, M., Parsapour, A. and Fahimi, B. “Opportunities and challenges of switched reluctance motor drives for electric propulsion: A comparative study”, IEEE transactions on transportation electrifica-tion, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 58-75, 2017.

[10] Elhomdy, E., Liu, Z. and Li, G. “Thermal and mechanical analysis of a 72/48 switched reluctance motor for low-speed direct-drive mining applications”, Applied Sciences, vol. 9, no. 13, p. 2722, 2019.

[11] Jack, A. G., Mecrow, B. C. and Haylock, J. A. “A comparative study of permanent magnet and switched reluctance motors for high-performance fault-tolerant applications”, IEEE transactions on industry applications, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 889-895, 1996.

[12] Asgar, M., Afjei, E., Behbahani, A. and Siadatan, A. “A 12/8 double-stator switched reluctance motor for washing machine application”, 6th Power Electronics, Drive Systems & Technologies Conference, pp. 168-172, 2015.

[13] Ma, P., Ding, W. and Du, C. “Design and Performance Analysis of a Super High-Speed Switched Reluctance Motor for Vacuum Cleaners”, 25th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems, pp. 1-5, 2015.

[14] Lin, J., Schofield, N. and Emadi, A. “External-rotor 6/10 switched reluctance motor for an electric bicycle”, IEEE Transactions on Transportation electrification, vol. 1, no. 4, pp. 348-356, 2015.

[15] Gan, C., Wu, J., Sun, Q., Kong, W., Li, H. and Hu, Y. “A review on machine topologies and control techniques for low-noise switched reluctance motors in electric vehicle applications”, IEEE Access, 6, pp. 31430-31443, 2018.

[16] Abunike, E. C., Okoro, O. I. and Davidson, I. E. “Design Considerations and Performance Prediction of an External Rotor 6/10 Switched Reluctance Motor for Electric Vehicle Applications”, IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica, pp. 1-5, 2021.

[17] Takeno, M., Chiba, A., Hoshi, N., Ogasawara, S., Takemoto, M. and Rahman, M.A. “Test results and torque improvement of the 50-kW switched reluctance motor designed for hybrid electric vehicles”, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol. 48, no. 4, pp.1327-1334, 2012.

[18] Aljaism, W. A. “Switched reluctance motor: Design, simulation and control”, Doctoral dissertation, University of Western Sydney, Australia, 2007.

[19] Abunike, E. C., Okoro, O. I. and Davidson, I. E. “Thermal Analysis of an Optimized Switched Reluctance Motor for Enhanced Performance”, IEEE PES/IAS PowerAfrica, pp. 1-5, 2021.

[20] Cervera, M., Codina, R. and Galindo, M. “On the computational efficiency and implementa-tion of block‐iterative algorithms for nonlinear coupled problems”, Engineering computation-ns, vol. 13, no. 6, pp. 4-30, 1996.

[21] Burress, T. A., Campbell, S. L., Coomer, C., Ayers, C. W., Wereszczak, A. A., Cunningham, J. P., Marlino, L. D., Seiber, L. E. and Lin, H. T. “Evaluation of the 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid synergy drive system”, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Power Electronics and Electric Machinery Research Facility, 2011.

[22] Babayomi, O., and Balogun, A. ‘‘Internal Model Loss Minimization Control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine’’, Nigerian Journal of Technology, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 97-108, 2021.

[23] Materu, P. N. and Krishnan, R. “Estimation of switched reluctance motor losses”, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 668-679, 1992.

[24] Memon, A. A., Bukhari, S. S. H. and Ro, J. S. “Experimental determination of equivalent iron loss resistance for prediction of iron losses in a SRM”, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 58, no. 2, pp.1-4, 2021.

[25] Yan, W., Chen, H., Liu, X., Ma, X., Lv, Z., Wang, X., Palka, R., Chen, L. and Wang, K. “Design and multi‐objective optimisation of SRM with iron loss”, IET Electric Power Applications, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 435-444, 2019.